Meter apparatus, metering network, and metering method thereof

ABSTRACT

A meter apparatus, a metering network, and a metering method thereof are provided. The meter apparatus includes a pulse generator, an optical sensor, a spinning disc, and a magnetic sensor. The pulse generator is configured to generate a number of pulses proportional to an amount of a consumed resource. The optical sensor is configured to detect the number of pulses to generate a first signal, and transmit the first signal to a meter reader. The spinning disc is configured to produce an amount of rotation proportional to the amount of the consumed resource. The magnetic sensor is configured to detect the amount of the rotation to generate a second signal, and transmit the second signal to the meter reader.

This Application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No.101101883, filed on Jan. 18, 2012, and the entirety of which isincorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a network, and in particular relates toa meter apparatus, a metering network, and metering method thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

A smart grid regulates a supplied resource such as water, gas, andelectricity based on information about resource suppliers and consumers,thereby saving energy, reducing loss, and increasing reliability of thedistribution network. Use of the smart grid began in the 20^(th)century, when power generating plants and stations were interconnectedwith local electric grids to become an electric power grid capable ofbeing monitored and resource consumption data being collected,continuously and in real-time, thereby allowing for power supply andusage of the available power to be regulated according to an optimizedpower scheme over a larger power coverage scale. For example, charging abattery during an off-peak period and supplies the electricity grid withthe electricity stored during a peak period.

The smart grid comprises smart meters for monitoring resourceconsumption and meter readers for determining the readings. Currently,the smart meter only uses an LED sensor or a reflective sensor to detectthe resource consumption. A meter apparatus, a metering network and amethod thereof are in need to provide reliable consumed resourcedetection.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the invention, a meter apparatus is disclosed,comprising a pulse generator, an optical sensor, a spinning disc, and amagnetic sensor. The pulse generator is configured to generate a numberof pulses proportional to an amount of a consumed resource. The opticalsensor is configured to detect the number of pulses to generate a firstsignal, and transmit the first signal to a meter reader. The spinningdisc is configured to produce an amount of rotation proportional to theamount of the consumed resource. The magnetic sensor is configured todetect the amount of the rotation to generate a second signal, andtransmit the second signal to the meter reader.

In another aspect of the invention, a metering network is provided,comprising an apparatus and a meter reader. The apparatus comprises apulse generator, an optical sensor, a spinning disc, and a magneticsensor. The pulse generator is configured to generate a number of pulsesproportional to an amount of a consumed resource. The optical sensor isconfigured to detect the number of pulses to generate a first signal,and transmit the first signal to a meter reader. The spinning disc isconfigured to produce an amount of rotation proportional to the amountof the consumed resource. The magnetic sensor is configured to detectthe amount of the rotation to generate a second signal, and transmit thesecond signal to the meter reader. The meter reader is configured todetermine a reading according to the first and second signals.

In yet another aspect of the invention, a metering method is revealed,performed by a meter apparatus, comprising: generating a number ofpulses proportional to an amount of a consumed resource; detecting thenumber of pulses to generate a first signal, and transmit the firstsignal to a meter reader; producing an amount of rotation proportionalto the amount of the consumed resource; and detecting the amount of therotation to generate a second signal, and transmit the second signal tothe meter reader.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequentdetailed description and examples with references made to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a smart grid 1 according to an embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a smart meter 20 according to an embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a metering method 3 according to an embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the reading determination method 4 according toan embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the reading determination method 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carryingout the invention. This description is made for the purpose ofillustrating the general principles of the invention and should not betaken in a limiting sense. The USB specifications and the USB BatteryCharging specifications are used to teach the spirit of the invention,and the invention is not limited thereto.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a smart grid 1 according to an embodimentof the invention, comprising a reading system 10, a meter reader 12, abase station 14, and a service network 16. The reading system 10 iscoupled to the meter reader 12, the base station 14, and then to theservice network 16. The reading system 10 keeps tracks of the amount ofconsumed resources such as water, electricity, and gas in residential,commercial, industrial, and agricultural zones. Each household has areading system 10 installed for continuously monitoring the amount ofthe consumed resource, sending the data of the amount of the consumedresource to the meter reader 12 to determine a reading accordingly, andtransmitting the reading to the service network 16 though the basestation 14 for data storage. The service network 16 may be a cloudnetwork, including a server 160 configured to retain all readings fromthe meter reader 12. The smart grid 1 is built on the existingelectricity, water and gas networks, evolving from manual monitoring,remote monitoring, and automatic monitoring, to automatic systemadjustment based on the monitored data. In some embodiments, the smartgrid 1 is an electricity network, employing superconducting wires toreduce electricity loss during transmissions, integrating with otherpower resources such as wind power, thermo power, solar power, and soon. The smart grid 1 actively regulates energy usage in a household, anoffice, or a factory, subsidizes energy-related services during the peakperiod, and allows high-power demand electronic appliances such asclothes dryers, air-conditioners, heaters, ovens, cooking tops and heatsinks to be used only during the off-peak period. The communicationnetwork in the smart grid 1 may be implemented by a Z-Wave, Zigbee,WiFi, PSTN, or electricity network, managing resource consumption foreach end-user through certain communication protocols.

The reading system 10 comprises meter apparatuses such as an electricitymeter 100, gas meter 102, and water meter 104, respectively monitoringelectricity, gas and water consumption for each end-user. Theelectricity meter 100, gas meter 102, and water meter 104 each employstwo different sensing devices to monitor the amount of a consumedresource. The two different sensing devices may be, for example, opticaland magnetic sensing devices. The two different sensing devices canmeasure the amount of the consumed resource independently which canfurther be used for verifying the accuracy of the reading, or onethereof can serve as a backup to provide an accurate reading when theother sensing device malfunctions. For example, when the optical sensingdevice fails to monitor the accurate amount of the consumed resource dueto interference from an external flash source, the magnetic sensingdevice can still detect a reliable and accurate amount of the consumedresource. Conversely, when the magnetic sensing device detects anerroneous amount of the consumed resource in the presence of an externalmagnetic source, the optical sensing device is still able to provide areliable and accurate amount of the consumed resource. The opticalsensing device may be an LED optical sensor. The magnetic sensing devicemay be a magnetic sensor.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a smart meter 20 according to an embodimentof the invention. The smart meter 20 may be a digital electricity meter,indicating the amount of the consumed energy, based on which meterreader reports the reading to the service network. The smart meter 20may form a part of the smart grid 1. The smart meter 2 may be theelectricity meter 100, the gas meter 102, or the water meter 104 in FIG.1, with built-in sensors or external add-on sensors. The smart meter 20comprises a spinning disc 2000, a magnetic sensor 202, an optical sensor204, and a pulse generator 206. The meter reader 12 in FIG. 1 isidentical to the meter reader 22 in the FIG. 2. The pulse generator 206is coupled to the spinning disc 200, which is magnetically coupled tothe magnetic sensor 202. Similarly, the pulse generator 206 is opticallycoupled to the optical sensor 204.

Taking the electricity meter 100 as an example, the electricity meter100 detects instantaneous voltage and current, which are then multipliedtogether to derive a power. The spinning disc 200 in the electricitymeter 100 then produces a certain amount of rotation (angle)proportional to the amount of the derived power. The spinning disc 200rotates by an angle in proportion to the power, a wire is wound aroundthe spinning disc 200 in such a way that it produces a magnetic fluxproportional to the to the amount of the rotation, which may be detectedby the magnetic sensor 202 to determine the amount of the rotation. Thepulse generator 206 generates a number of pulses in proportion to theamount of the rotation. In some embodiments, the pulse generator 206generates the number of the pulses based on the revolutions of thespinning disc 200. In other embodiments, the pulse generator 206generates the number of the pulses based on the derived power directly.Using the magnetic sensor 202 and optical sensor 204, the smart meter 20may detect the amount of the rotation and the number of the pulsesindependently and generate a first signal D_(r1) and a second signalD_(r2) respectively, where the first signal D_(r1) indicates the numberof the pulses and the second signal D_(r2) indicates the amount of therotation. Next, the magnetic sensor 202 and the optical sensor 204separately transmit the first signal D_(r1) and the second signal D_(r2)to the meter reader 22 to determine the corresponding readings.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the meter reader 12 may receive sensed valuesfrom one or more users. The meter reader 12 receives a set of the firstsignal D_(r1) and second signal D_(r2) representing each type of theconsumed resource for each user, and determines a common reading D_(out)based on the received first signal D_(r1) and the second signal D_(r2).The meter reader 12 may be located in the reading system 10, in theservice network 16, or in a resource distribution network between thereading system 10 and the service network 16. Although FIG. 1illustrates the electricity meter 100, the gas meter 102, and the watermeter 104 sharing a common meter reader 12 for determining the amount ofeach consumed resource, separate meter readers may be incorporated toseparately produce readings for different types of the consumedresources.

Referring to FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the meter reader 22 determineswhether the first signal D_(r1) and the second signal D_(r2) correspondto substantially a same amount of rotation. When it is so the meterreader 22 produces a common reading D_(out) based on substantially thesame amount of rotation. The meter reader 22 may also utilize readingdetermination methods 4 or 5 outlined in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 to generate acommon reading D_(out). In the reading determination method 4, when oneof the first signal D_(r1) and the second signal D_(r2) exhibits a speedthat exceeds a predetermined speed limit, the meter reader 22 maydetermine that the signal with the exceeded speed is invalid, andproduce the reading D_(out) based on the valid one of the first andsecond signals D_(r1), D_(r2). In the reading determination method 5,when one of in the first signal D_(r1) and the second signal D_(r2)shows a irregular speed and the other one shows a regular speed, themeter reader 22 may produce the common reading D_(out) only based on thesignal with the regular speed.

In some implementations, the optical sensor 204 is coupled to themagnetic sensor 202 which transmits the first and the second signalsD_(r1), D_(r2) to the meter reader 22 through a common transmissionline. In other implementations, the optical sensor 204 and the magneticsensor 202 may respectively transmit the first signal D_(r1) and thesecond signal D_(r2) to the meter reader 22 through dedicatedtransmission lines.

The smart grid 1 and the smart meter 20 employ two different sensingmechanisms detecting resource consumption at an end-user, verifying thetwo sensed results detected by the two sensing mechanisms, andgenerating an accurate reading for the consumed resource based on thetwo sensed results, to reduce risk of false reading.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a metering method 3 according to an embodimentof the invention, incorporating the smart grid network 1 in FIG. 1 andthe smart meter 20 in FIG. 2.

In Step S300, the smart meter 20 is initialized to gauge resourceconsumption for an end-user. The pulse generator 206 generates thenumber of pulses proportional to the consumed resource, for example,generating 600 pulses for every thousand-watt power (S301). The spinningdisc 200 generates the amount of the rotation proportional to theconsumed resource, for example, generating 1 turn for everythousand-watt power (S302). Accordingly, the optical sensor 204 detectsthe number of pulses to generate the first signal D_(r1) (S303), and themagnetic sensor 202 detects the amount of the rotation to generate thesecond signal D_(r2) (S304). The optical sensor and the magnetic sensor202 transmit the first and second signals D_(r1), D_(r2) to the meterreader 22 through a common or separate transmission lines, whichsubsequently determine the common reading D_(out) according to the firstand second signal D_(r1), D_(r2) (S306). In some embodiments, the meterreader 22 determines whether the first and second signals D_(r1), D_(r2)represent the substantially same rotation angle, and produces the commonreading using the substantially same rotation angle when it is so. FIGS.4 and 5 show the reading determination methods 4 and 5 accommodating theprocess in the step S306. Lastly, the meter reader 22 transmits thecommon reading D_(out) to the server 160 in the service network 160 forstorage (308), thus the metering method 3 is completed and exited(S310).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the reading determination method 4 according toan embodiment of the invention, incorporated in the step 306 in FIG. 3.Upon startup of the reading determination method 4 (S400), the meterreader 22 determines whether the speed of the first signal D_(r1) hasexceeded a speed limit V_(lmt1), where the first signal represents thenumber of the pulses (S402). The optical sensor 204 would not detect thefirst signal D_(r1) with the speed exceeding the speed limit V_(lmt1)under a normal condition. The exceeded speed of the first signal D_(r1)suggests that an external flash source is present near the smart meter20, causing the optical sensor 204 to pick up the light pulses from theexternal flash source and produce an inaccurate sensed value. As aconsequence the meter reader 22 disregards the first signal D_(r1) fordetermining the reading, and the reading determination method 4 goes toStep S406. When the first signal D_(r1) is less than or equal to thespeed limit V_(lmt1), the meter reader 22 determines that the firstsignal D_(r1) is normal, and determines the reading D_(out) using onlythe first signal D_(r1) (S404). In step S406, the meter reader 22further determines whether the speed of the second signal D_(r2) hasexceeded a speed limit V_(lmt2). The magnetic sensor 202 would notdetect the second signal D_(r2) with the speed exceeding the speed limitV_(lim2) under a normal condition. The exceeded speed of the secondsignal D_(r2) suggests that another external magnetic source is nearby,causing the magnetic sensor 202 to detect the magnetic flux from theexternal magnetic source and produce an inaccurate detected value. Thusthe meter reader 22 disregards the second signal D_(r2) for determiningthe reading, and the reading determination method 4 goes to Step S410.When the second signal D_(r2) is less than or equal to the speed limitV_(lmt2), the meter reader 22 determines that the second signal D_(r2)is normal, and determines the reading D_(out) using only the secondsignal D_(r2) (S408). In Step S410, since the first signal D_(r1) andsecond signal D_(r2) both exceed the corresponding speed limits, bothsignals may be erroneous, thus the meter reader 22 would make the valueof the reading D_(out) to remain unchanged. Although the readingdetermination method 4 evaluates the number of pulses before evaluatingthe amount of the rotation, it could also adopt a reversed order ofevaluation, i.e., determining whether the speed for the rotation thenthe speed of the pluses exceeding the corresponding speed limits. Thespeed limit V_(lmt1) may be equal or unequal to the speed limitV_(lmt2).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the reading determination method 5 according toan embodiment of the invention, incorporated in the step 306 in FIG. 3.Upon startup of the reading determination method 5 (S500), the meterreader 22 determines whether the speed of the first signal D_(r1) isregular, where the first signal represents the number of the pulses(S502). The irregular pulses shown by the first signal D_(r1) maysuggest that an external flash source is in close presence to the smartmeter 20, causing the optical sensor 204 to pick up the light pulsesfrom the external flash source and produce an inaccurate detected value.As a consequence the meter reader 22 disregards the first signal D_(r1)in determination of the reading, and the reading determination method 5goes to Step S506. When the first signal D_(r1) displays a regular pulsespeed, the meter reader 22 determines that the first signal D_(r1) isvalid, and determines the reading D_(out) using only the first signalD_(r1) (S504). In step S506, the meter reader 22 further determineswhether the second signal D_(r2) indicates irregular rotation speed. Theirregular rotation speed shown by the second signal D_(r2) may suggestan external magnetic source is nearby, causing the magnetic sensor 202to detect the magnetic flux from the unintended magnetic source andproduce an inaccurate detected value. Thus the meter reader 22disregards the second signal D_(r2) in determination of the readingD_(out), and the reading determination method 5 goes to Step S510. Whenthe second signal D_(r2) exhibits a regular rotation motion, the meterreader 22 determines the second signal D_(r2) to be valid, anddetermines the reading D_(out) using only the second signal D_(r2)(S408). In Step S510, because the first signal D_(r1) and second signalD_(r2) both exhibit irregular speeds, both signals may be erroneous,thus the meter reader 22 makes the value of the reading D_(out) toremain unchanged. Although the reading determination method 5 evaluatesthe optical pulses before the rotation motion, it could also adopt areversed order, i.e., determining whether the rotation and then thepluses? show regular speeds. The pulse speed may be equal or unequal tothe rotational speed.

The metering method 3 deploys the reading determination method 4 or 5 toutilize two different sensing mechanisms to produce sensed values, whichare used for generating an accurate reading for a consumed resource,reducing the risk of generating false readings.

As used herein, the term “determining” encompasses calculating,computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up (e.g.,looking up in a table, a database or another data structure),ascertaining and the like. Also, “determining” may include resolving,selecting, choosing, establishing and the like.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules and circuits describedin connection with the present disclosure may be implemented orperformed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor(DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a fieldprogrammable gate array signal (FPGA) or other programmable logicdevice, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware componentsor any combination thereof designed to perform the functions describedherein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in thealternative, the processor may be any commercially available processor,controller, microcontroller or state machine.

The operations and functions of the various logical blocks, modules, andcircuits described herein may be implemented in circuit hardware orembedded software codes that can be accessed and executed by aprocessor.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms ofthe preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it isintended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (aswould be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope ofthe appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so asto encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.

What is claimed is:
 1. A meter apparatus, comprising: a pulse generator,configured to generate a number of pulses proportional to an amount of aconsumed resource; an optical sensor, configured to detect the number ofpulses to generate a first signal, and transmit the first signal to ameter reader; a spinning disc, configured to produce an amount ofrotation proportional to the amount of the consumed resource; and amagnetic sensor, configured to detect the amount of the rotation togenerate a second signal, and transmit the second signal to the meterreader.
 2. The meter apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the meterreader, configured to determine whether the first and second signalscorrespond to substantially a same amount of the consumed resource, andgenerate a reading according to substantially the same amount of theconsumed resource when it is so.
 3. The meter apparatus of claim 1,further comprising the meter reader, configured to determine that one ofthe first and second signals is valid when a speed of the one of thefirst and second signals is indicated to be less than or equal to apredetermined speed limit, and configured to generate a reading basedonly on the valid one of the first and second signals.
 4. The meterapparatus of claim 1, further comprising the meter reader, configured todetermine that one of the first and second signals is valid when a speedof the one of the first and second signals is indicated to be a regularspeed limit, and configured to generate a reading based on the valid oneof the first and second signals.
 5. The meter apparatus of claim 1,wherein the optical sensor is coupled to the magnetic sensor, and theoptical sensor is configured to transmit the first and second signals tothe meter reader via a common transmission line.
 6. A metering network,comprising: an apparatus, comprising: a pulse generator, configured togenerate a number of pulses proportional to an amount of a consumedresource; an optical sensor, configured to detect the number of pulsesto generate a first signal, and transmit the first signal to a meterreader; a spinning disc, configured to produce an amount of rotationproportional to the amount of the consumed resource; and a magneticsensor, configured to detect the amount of the rotation to generate asecond signal, and transmit the second signal to the meter reader; andthe meter reader, configured to determine a reading according to thefirst and second signals.
 7. The metering network of claim 6, whereinthe meter reader is configured to determine whether the first and secondsignals correspond to substantially a same amount of the consumedresource, and generate a reading according to substantially the sameamount of the consumed resource when it is so.
 8. The metering networkof claim 6, wherein the meter reader is configured to determine that oneof the first and second signals is valid when a speed of the one of thefirst and second signals is indicated to be less than or equal to apredetermined speed limit, and generate the reading based only on thevalid one of the first and second signals.
 9. The metering network ofclaim 6, wherein the meter reader is configured to determine that one ofthe first and second signals is valid when a speed of the one of thefirst and second signals is indicated to be a regular speed limit, andgenerate the reading based on the valid one of the first and secondsignals.
 10. The metering network of claim 6, wherein the optical sensoris coupled to the magnetic sensor, and the optical sensor is configuredto transmit the first and second signals to the meter reader via acommon transmission line.
 11. The metering network of claim 6, furthercomprising a server, configured to store the reading from the meterreader.
 12. A metering method, performed by a meter apparatus,comprising: generating a number of pulses proportional to an amount of aconsumed resource; detecting the number of pulses to generate a firstsignal, and transmit the first signal to a meter reader; producing anamount of rotation proportional to the amount of the consumed resource;and detecting the amount of the rotation to generate a second signal,and transmit the second signal to the meter reader.
 13. The meteringmethod of claim 12, further comprising determining a reading accordingto the first and second signals.
 14. The metering method of claim 12,further comprising: determining whether the first and second signalscorrespond to substantially a same amount of the consumed resource; andgenerating a reading according to substantially the same amount of theconsumed resource when it is so.
 15. The metering method of claim 12,further comprising: determining that one of the first and second signalsis valid when a speed of the one of the first and second signals isindicated to be less than or equal to a predetermined speed limit; andgenerating a reading based only on the valid one of the first and secondsignals. The metering method of claim 12, further comprising:determining that one of the first and second signals is valid when aspeed of the one of the first and second signals is indicated to be aregular speed limit; and generating a reading based only on the validone of the first and second signals.
 17. The metering method of claim12, further comprising: coupling the optical sensor to the magneticsensor; and transmitting the first and second signals to the meterreader via a common transmission line.